flattery
noun
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Definition of flattery
1a : the act or practice of flattering She uses the art of flattery to her advantage.
b(1) : something that flatters A compliment is flattery … —Harry Shaw
(2) : insincere or excessive praise He tried to win his teacher's favor with flattery.
2 obsolete : a pleasing self-deception
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Synonyms for flattery
Synonyms
adulation, blarney, overpraise, soft soap, sweet talk
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Examples of flattery in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The problem with Trump’s flattery of Kim is the same as Reagan’s acclamation of Montt: a dictator was praised for no good reason. — Jeet Heer, The New Republic, "A brief history of American presidents praising dictators.," 12 June 2018 If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Trump might just view Avenatti's barrage as a kind of compliment. — Callum Borchers, Washington Post, "Why hasn’t Trump attacked Michael Avenatti?," 17 May 2018 The test is notoriously tough, but political flattery can help. — The Economist, "Some Western universities see merit in China’s flawed exam," 28 June 2018 But the nauseating flattery Trump lavished on this mass murderer did little to promote those interests. — Trudy Rubin, Philly.com, "Trump thinks his personal relationships with dictators will save the world. He's wrong | Trudy Rubin," 15 June 2018 Yet one thing is new in the burgeoning Trump-Kim relationship: face-to-face flattery. — Jeremy Diamond, Jeff Zeleny And Kevin Liptak, CNN, "Trump resets the world stage," 13 June 2018 Rather than approach Kim as a pariah, Trump showered him with respect and even flattery, enthused to shake hands with a monstrous figure in part, perhaps, because his monstrosity is his source of power. — Erica Werner, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Republican senators only willing to go so far in challenging Trump on trade," 12 June 2018 Rather than approach Kim as a pariah, Trump showered him with respect and even flattery, enthused to shake hands with a monstrous figure in part, perhaps, because his monstrosity is his source of power. — Philip Rucker, Anchorage Daily News, "In a bid for history, Trump flatters North Korea's totalitarian leader," 12 June 2018 But imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery. — Adam Stanton, Scientific American, "Why Do Robots Look Like Animals and Humans?," 5 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flattery.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for flattery
flattery
noun
English Language Learners Definition of flattery
: praise that is not sincere
See the full definition for flattery in the English Language Learners Dictionary
flattery
noun
\
Kids Definition of flattery
: praise that is not deserved or meant
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